Library Journal’s annual “Movers & Shakers” list recognizes professionals who are shaping the future of libraries in a variety of ways. GSLIS alumna Amita Lonial (MS ’09) is among the 2016 class of Movers & Shakers in the “Advocates” category. Lonial is the learning experiences manager at Skokie (IL) Public Library.
New to her position as a comanager of Learning Experiences at Skokie Public Library (SPL), Amita Lonial dove right in and “ramped up our programming by 50 percent,” she says. According to nominator Mikael Jacobsen, Lonial’s counterpart at Skokie (and a 2013 Mover & Shaker), the 2014-15 fiscal year saw “an astounding 55,000 people attend[ing] a library program, and this in a community of 65,000.” Lonial brings to the job her passions for social justice and community engagement.
In 2015, Lonial took a leadership role in SPL’s annual educational program, Coming Together, which “seeks to build knowledge of and appreciation for the diversity represented in Skokie and Niles Township,” says Jacobsen. That year the focus shifted from a single culture to the topic of race. Lonial helped select texts and develop programs, which offered particular challenges, she says. “It’s really tough to do public programming on a huge and provocative topic such as race and racism.” Altogether there were 70 programs in the Coming Together series, and over 8,000 people participated. Skokie staff worked with Lonial to coordinate 14 of those events for all ages at the library. Examples of the programs include slam poetry featuring an artist from Chicago Slam Works; Unveiled, a one-woman show offering different perspectives of Muslim women who wear the veil; and a panel on race representations in media.
“Amita is a social and racial justice warrior with integrity,” says Jacobsen. “She sees the problems of the world and attacks them with courage, insight, and energy.”